Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed.

Thich nhat hanh

Behind 85for85 is the idea that sharing your voice on an issue will not only encourage others to share their own, but also lead to more widespread awareness about happenings within our society that have faded from the media’s spotlight, things that still matter, things that need us to do something about them. We hope that this awareness will truly lead to transformation for the benefit of all. In this regard, read on to learn more about the lands we are defending with our art, and take some time to explore the other amazing sources we’ve found on the issue.

Stand With Bears Ears

Bears Ears National Monument was 1.35 million acres of beautiful, wild lands in southeast Utah. It was established as a national monument by President Obama on December 28, 2016, after five tribes came together unified as The Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition to propose its creation. The desire for this land to be protected, however, goes back for years. It is land rich with history and culture, resources that are priceless, archaeological treasures still undiscovered, and a sacred connection that can hardly be put into words.

Now Bears Ears National Monuments boundaries only surround approximately 201,876 acres, a devastating reduction of 85%. Please let that sink in.

Photos by Mika Parajon

Save Grand Staircase-Escalante

On September 18, 1996, President Clinton proclaimed the establishment of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, an area of about 1.7 million acres. This was the largest national monument created and with good reason. The areas marked by the boundary hold a geological treasure trove of paleontological discoveries, biological diversity across five different ecological zones, and irreplaceable threads of human history. Imbued with wildness, this land is still ripe for discovery on so many levels.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is now reduced to approximately 1 million acres, nearly 50% smaller than it once was.

Photos By Mika Parajon

Monuments For All

In December 2017, we witnessed the largest reduction of protected land in history. Supposedly, this was an action of giving the land back to the people. We recognize the reality that the reduction of the national monuments was an illegal move. It diminished the preservation of these spaces that hold so much more than the eye can see. It was an action of little respect for land and all who hold it as sacred. The decision received immediate legal push-back by Native American Tribes and conservation groups. They are still fighting and so we are supporting their fight.

If you’ve ever laid eyes on the wild spaces of Bears Ears or Grand Staircase Escalante, then you know the grandeur, the awe and the connections these places inspire. Untouched, these lands are rich with cultural treasures and stories that the majority of us do not fully understand. Now that they are unprotected, we may never understand. What a loss, a heartbreaking reality, but hopefully a reality we can work to change. At the heart of it, 85for85 is a collaborative effort towards that change.

In December 2017, the administration made the largest reduction of protected land in all of history by reducing Bears Ears National Monument by 85% and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument by 50%. This beautiful area was just slashed open to use by different industries without careful consideration of their effect. 85for85 was ignited by an inability to turn a blind eye and fueled with passion for these places. We decided to call upon others who shared this passion and use what tools we had, our artistic voices, to make a statement. With 85 different artistic expressions of our hearts for these public lands, we have come together with one voice to speak for the proverbial 85%.

Our main mission is to raise awareness about the state of Bears Ears, Grand Staircase Escalante, and other endangered wild spaces and also to raise funds to help support the organizations that are fighting the administration’s decision to reduce these two monuments. To do so we have created a collection of different artistic pieces dedicated to this issue and poured them into a limited edition book to share with the world. Every bit of proceeds gained through the sale of this book will be donated to The Wilderness Society, one of the many organizations that have filed a lawsuit in defense of Bears Ears and GSE.

We know this is a small effort, but it is one backed by heart. With that we believe that all of our voices, including yours, coming together as one, can indeed make a change. So, raise your voice with us and let it be heard - protect public lands!

The 85for85 Art Book is 100 pages of original artwork by artists from around the country available for pre-sale only until June 3, so pre-order yours right here. Right now you can get yours at an early-bird rate.We are so grateful for your support!